3 Militants Killed, 5 Jawans Injured in Encounter Near Srinagar

The encounter broke out on Saturday on the outskirts of Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

Five security personnel were injured in an encounter that broke out on Saturday, 8 December, between militants and security forces on the outskirts of Srinagar.

(Photo: ANI)

After an overnight encounter with the security forces, three terrorists have been neutralised in Srinagar’s Mujgund, that has also left five security personnel injured, ANI reported. Weapons and other warlike stores have reportedly been recovered from the site.

The encounter broke out on Saturday, 8 December, on the outskirts of Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the evening near the Srinagar-Bandipora road in Mujgund area on the city's outskirts. As the forces were conducting searches, the militants fired on them, provoking retaliation from the forces. The operation is still underway.

According to ANI, no militants’ bodies have been found yet. Mobile internet services have been suspended in Srinagar following the encounter.

Visuals from the encounter site in Mujgund at the outskirts of Srinagar.

Visuals from the encounter site in Mujgund at the outskirts of Srinagar.

Visuals from the encounter site in Mujgund at the outskirts of Srinagar.

According to Greater Kashmir, massive clashes also broke in the areas adjacent to the encounter site even as four houses reportedly went up in flames in the heavy exchange of fire.

On receiving information about the presence of militants in a residential house in Mujgund’s Ghat Mohalla opposite government higher secondary school, joint teams of special operation group (SOG) of police, 5 Rashtriya Riffles and the CRPF launched a cordon in the area, a police officer told Greater Kashmir.

“After zeroing in on the suspected house where the militants were hiding, forces fired a few warning shots. The hiding militants, however, fired indiscriminately at the forces triggering an encounter,” the officer, said, as quoted by Greater Kashmir.

The encounter reportedly broke out at 6 pm. Preliminary reports suggested that at least three militants were hiding in a residential establishment.

A resident of Mujgund area told Greater Kashmir that massive clashes were on between the youth and the forces at many places.

“Youth placed logs and rocks on road to disturb the forces’ movement. Youth from Lawaypora, HMT, Narbal and other areas marched towards the encounter site amid clashes with the forces,” he said.

Top Hizbul Recruiter Arrested

A wanted Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, who was luring youths into militancy, was arrested on Sunday, 9 December, in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, a senior police officer said.

Reyaz Ahmad, a resident of Sounder Dachhan village and a close associate of hardcore terrorist Mohammad Amin alias 'Jhangir', was arrested by a police party based on specific information from the town, Senior Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Rajinder Gupta told PTI.

He said several pictures of Ahmad holding an AK assault rifle had gone viral on social media in the recent past and his name also surfaced during interrogation of two of his associates who were arrested in the town on 1 July.

Following the arrest of his two associates, a case was registered at the Kishtwar police station.

The officer said Ahmad was also involved in another case related to militancy in the Parimpora locality of Srinagar.

“Some more arrests and recoveries are expected at his disclosure,” the officer said, adding he was a “hardcore motivator encouraging local youth to join militancy”.

Jehangir is the longest surviving terrorist active in the Kishtwar belt, he said.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI and Greater Kashmir)